Applicant Requirements

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in clinical or counseling psychology, or a Psy.D. in clinical psychology, from an APA or CPA approved graduate program. Applicants must have completed, or be currently completing, an APA or CPA approved pre-doctoral internship. Persons applying prior to completion of their graduate degree must provide firm evidence that all requirements for the doctoral degree will be completed prior to the start of the post-doctoral year (September 1, 2015), including a letter to that effect from a thesis advisor or Department head.

Please download and complete the Application Form, which asks for specific information about experience working with seriously mentally ill adults, and experience with forensic and/or correctional populations.

Applications should also include a letter of interest, addressed to Dr. Packer, describing your career objectives, including a projection of what you would like to be doing professionally during the years following the fellowship. This letter should also articulate why you are interested in Forensic Psychology. We are looking for articulated, genuine answers to these questions. Please do not simply reiterate your specific practical and internship experiences (which are included on the Application Form), and please do not recite the elements of our program, as we are very familiar with our own program (e.g., it is not helpful to write: “I am attracted to your program because of the rotations at Worcester and Bridgewater, the Landmark cases seminars, etc.”).

We also require three letters of recommendation, in addition to the letter from the Department Chair or thesis advisor referenced above (unless one of them also is serving as a reference). At least one of the references should be from the applicant's graduate program, and at least one from the internship. These letters should be sent by email to: Dianne.Williams@umassmed.edu.

In addition, please request that an official copy of your graduate school transcript be mailed to Dianne Williams at the following address: